HEALTH & WELLNESS by Peter Semchism Can’t Sleep? Insomnia Symptoms and Cures Sponsored by Greenhills Pharmacy HEALTH & WELLNESS by Peter Semchism
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Dementia Could Happen to Anyone… Because Everyone Ages. The Facts Dementia Could Happen to Anyone… Because Everyone Ages. The Facts The Facts Insomnia can refer to difficulty getting to sleep, difficulty staying asleep, waking up early without being able to return to sleep, or a combination of the three. In order to be diagnosed with insomnia, sleep difficulty must occur at least three nights per week even though the opportunity for adequate sleep is available. It must also interfere with your life and functioning – for example, if you wake feeling unrefreshed or find yourself dozing during the day. Insomnia is not defined based on how many hours you’ve slept, since the amount people need can vary from person to person. It is also normal to sleep less as you age. If you’re sleeping less than you did when you were younger, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have insomnia. Insomnia is a very common medical complaint. About 10% of adults in Canada experience persistent insomnia, and an additional 20% to 25% report occasional insomnia. It is more common among women, older adults, shift workers, and people with medical conditions and mental health issues. Peter Semchism Dementia is not a specific disease, but a general term that describes a gradual decline of mental ability that affects your intellectual and social skills to the point where daily life becomes difficult. Dementia can affect your memory, language skills and decision-making ability; impair your judgment and make you feel disoriented; and it may also affect your personality. Dementia can be caused by many diseases that affect the brain. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. Others in- clude vascular, Lewy body, frontotemporal and mixed dementia. Types of dementia differ based on underlying causes and can affect specific symptoms and how it progresses. Symptoms and Complications Many of us often experience forgetfulness. We may forget where we put the car keys or repeat the same story to a friend or family member. These behaviours are usually caused by the information overload of our busy, stressful lives – it doesn’t mean that we’re developing dementia. As people age, they may experience memory changes such as slowing of information processing. This type of change is normal and doesn’t interfere with day-to-day functioning. By contrast, dementia is disabling and not a normal part of aging. Although dementia often presents itself differently from person to per- son, common symptoms include: gradual loss of memory of recent events and lack of ability to learn new things increasing tendency to repeat oneself, misplacing objects, becoming confused and lost in familiar places slow disintegration of judgment and reasoning abilities increasing irritability, anxiety, depression, confusion, and restlessness increasing communication and language difficulties (forgetting words or substituting incorrect words) changes in personality, behaviour, or mood decreasing ability to focus and pay attention inability to plan and carry out tasks that require multiple steps (e.g. pay - ing bills). To be diagnosed with dementia, the symptoms must be severe enough to affect a person’s independence and their ability to perform everyday activities. Symptoms of dementia can vary depending on the cause. For example, people with Lewy body dementia often have long-lasting visual hallu- cinations. Some forms of dementia also tend to affect people younger than others and progress faster. Treatment and Prevention To advertise here please contact Worrying about not being able to get adequate sleep can often worsen the insomnia. It is important to get help in order to not get caught in this cycle. Treatment and Prevention Gloria@VillagerPublications.com Treatment of dementia may depend on the specific cause. Treatment of Alzheimer’s disease usually involves treating the declining memory and gradually worsening behavioural symptoms with a range of medications (which may also be used in other forms of dementia), including: cognitive enhancing agents tranquilizers antidepressants antianxiety medications anticonvulsants • trouble falling asleep • trouble staying asleep • waking up too early in the morning and being unable to get back to sleep • not feeling rested or refreshed when you wake up despite getting enough hours of sleep • feeling tired and sleepy during the day • feeling irritable or anxious • headaches • difficulty focusing or concentrating during the day Peter Semchism
To advertise here, please contact Gloria@villagerpublications.com Treatment of dementia may depend on the specific cause. Treatment of Alzheimer’s disease usually involves treating the declining memory and gradually worsening behavioural symptoms with a range of medications increasing irritability, anxiety, depression, confusion, and restlessness increasing communication and language difficulties (forgetting words or substituting incorrect words) changes in personality, behaviour, or mood decreasing ability to focus and pay attention inability to plan and carry out tasks that require multiple steps (e.g. pay - ing bills). To be diagnosed with dementia, the symptoms must be severe enough to affect a person’s independence and their ability to perform everyday activities. Symptoms of dementia can vary depending on the cause. For example, people with Lewy body dementia often have long-lasting visual hallu- cinations. Some forms of dementia also tend to affect people younger than others and progress faster. Treatment and Prevention Dementia is not a specific disease, but a general term that describes a gradual decline of mental ability that affects your intellectual and social skills to the point where daily life becomes difficult. Dementia can affect your memory, language skills and decision-making ability; impair your judgment and make you feel disoriented; and it may also affect your personality. Dementia can be caused by many diseases that affect the brain. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. Others in- clude vascular, Lewy body, frontotemporal and mixed dementia. Types of dementia differ based on underlying causes and can affect specific symptoms and how it progresses. Symptoms and Complications Many of us often experience forgetfulness. We may forget where we put the car keys or repeat the same story to a friend or family member. These behaviours are usually caused by the information overload of our busy, stressful lives – it doesn’t mean that we’re developing dementia. As people age, they may experience memory changes such as slowing of information processing. This type of change is normal and doesn’t interfere with day-to-day functioning. By contrast, dementia is disabling and not a normal part of aging. Although dementia often presents itself differently from person to per- son, common symptoms include: gradual loss of memory of recent events and lack of ability to learn new things increasing tendency to repeat oneself, misplacing objects, becoming confused and lost in familiar places slow disintegration of judgment and reasoning abilities Symptoms and Complications Symptoms of insomnia can include: A treatment plan for insomnia can include treating an underlying medical problem, learning about and practicing good sleep hygiene, learning about and making behaviour changes, and taking sleep medications. If insomnia is caused by an underlying
Lambeth Villager • June 2024 • Page 11 driving: Don’t allow someone with dementia to drive a them or arrange for rides wherever they need to go. Caring for someone with dementia can be difficult. It r standing, patience, and compassion. Joining an Alzhe caregiver’s support group in your community may be hel Be prepared for the eventuality that your loved one’s con riorate over time and additional full-time personal care m In some situations, placement in a nursing home is in the of the individual and their family. Peter Semchism is a Pharmacist at Greenhills Pharmacy June 2020 Lambeth Villager Page 7 information card: Reduce the risk of wandering and gett viding a pocket card with the person’s name, address, an ber. safety: Make your home environment as safe as possi furniture in the same place, removing clutter, installing cine cabinets, and setting the water heater at a low tempe scalding. • Avoid heavy, spicy, or sugary foods four to six hours before bedtime; try a light carbohydrate snack (e.g., crackers and warm milk) instead • Exercise during the day – if exercising before bed keeps you up, then exercise earlier. • Try to cut down on smoking and alcohol, especially in the evening. • Avoid watching the clock – just set the alarm and turn the clock around so you can’t see the time. Issue 45 • If you can’t fall asleep within 20 minutes of lying in bed, get up and do something relaxing. Try again once you feel sleepy. • Stash the phone away at bedtime. • Try relaxation techniques. In a future issue, we’ll discuss Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Insomnia. Peter Semchism is a Pharmacist at Greenhills Pharmacy in Lambeth. There is no treatment that can “cure” Alzheimer’s disease, nor are there medication that can halt or reverse the brain damage caused by it. How- ever, there are medications that can relieve symptoms and slow down the progression of the disease. Medications such as donepezil*, riv- astigmine, and galantamine may be used to slow down memory loss. Prevention of stroke is important for vascular dementia. If you have high blood pressure or cholesterol, transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), or have had a stroke, you should seek continued treatment for these conditions to prevent future strokes. The key to caring for and helping people with dementia is to focus on the many activities the person can still do safely. Encourage a person with dementia to continue daily routines and maintain social relationships as much as possible. Help them maintain a healthy lifestyle through exer- cise, proper nutrition, and fluid intake. Special diets and supplements are generally unnecessary. If you are caring for someone with dementia, the following may be help- ful: reminders: Provide written lists of things to do including times, places, and phone numbers to help the person complete the task. structure and stability: Minimize undue noise and disturbances to re- duce anxiety. establish routines: Daily and bedtime routines can reduce disorientation and anxiety. speaking slowly and calmly: Present one thought or instruction at a time. information card: Reduce the risk of wandering and getting lost by pro- viding a pocket card with the person’s name, address, and phone num- ber. safety: Make your home environment as safe as possible by keeping furniture in the same place, removing clutter, installing locks on medi- cine cabinets, and setting the water heater at a low temperature to avoid scalding. driving: Don’t allow someone with dementia to drive a vehicle. Drive them or arrange for rides wherever they need to go. • Avoid sleeping in, extensive periods of horizontal rest or daytime napping; these activities usually worsen the subsequent night’s sleep. • Don’t use the bedroom for daytime activities – just for intimacy and sleep. • Don’t consume caffeinated beverages (e.g., coffee, tea) after lunch. • Don’t go to bed thinking about work or other stressful matters – read a book for a while if this helps reduce stress. • Learn to replace worrying thoughts about sleep with more positive ones. • Go to bed and wake up at the same times every day, even on weekends. • If you have a back disorder, try lying on your back with a pillow under your knees. Caring for someone with dementia can be difficult. It requires under - standing, patience, and compassion. Joining an Alzheimer’s disease caregiver’s support group in your community may be helpful. Be prepared for the eventuality that your loved one’s condition will dete- riorate over time and additional full-time personal care may be needed. In some situations, placement in a nursing home is in the best interests of the individual and their family. Peter Semchism is a Pharmacist at Greenhills Pharmacy in Lambeth. medical condition such as arthritis or depression, the condition should be treated first, as this will likely alleviate the insomnia. Cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia is recommended as the first-line treatment, when available, and also incorporates many of the suggestions below. Sleep hygiene includes basic things you can do to increase your chances of having a good night’s sleep. Changing certain behaviours can also help improve sleep. As part of a treatment plan, your doctor might recommend any of the following sleep hygiene or behaviour changes: • Develop a regular bedtime routine. • Keep the bedroom dark, quiet, and not too warm – white noise devices can help drown out traffic sounds or a partner’s snoring. • Drink warm milk or have a warm bath before bed. There is no treatment that can “cure” Alzheimer’s disease medication that can halt or reverse the brain damage cau ever, there are medications that can relieve symptoms a the progression of the disease. Medications such as d astigmine, and galantamine may be used to slow down m Prevention of stroke is important for vascular dementia. I blood pressure or cholesterol, transient ischemic attacks had a stroke, you should seek continued treatment for th to prevent future strokes. The key to caring for and helping people with dementia is many activities the person can still do safely. Encourage dementia to continue daily routines and maintain social r much as possible. Help them maintain a healthy lifestyle cise, proper nutrition, and fluid intake. Special diets an are generally unnecessary. If you are caring for someone with dementia, the followin ful: reminders: Provide written lists of things to do including and phone numbers to help the person complete the tas structure and stability: Minimize undue noise and distu duce anxiety. establish routines: Daily and bedtime routines can reduce and anxiety. speaking slowly and calmly: Present one thought or i time.
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